An inside look at the city's prime places to play

A glittering, fresh-faced crowd swarms this eclectic mix of laid- back lounges, honky-tonk bars and see-and-be-seen clubs. With scarce parking, shuttle service transports a well-heeled crowd from pre-game cocktails at Soma Sushi to the velvet ropes marking slick, dance-driven nightclubs like Ei8ht or Roosevelt. Classic spots like Canyon Creek and Max's Wine Dive remain popular, as do newcomers like the east end-set Liberty Station.

The scene along Westheimer Curve defines the edgy, gay-friendly Montrose neighborhood. Club kings and drag queens provide theater on the streets, while a smattering of hipsters flock to lounges, such as Anvil Bar & Refuge for signature sips made with fresh ingredients and homemade liquors. Want to lay low? Head for Poison Girl, where cheap drinks, pinball machines and amateur poetry readings draw the laid-back crowd or Boheme Cafe and Wine Bar, which offers a relaxed vibe and large rear patio. Mainstays such as Montrose Mining Company and Meteor offer colorful scenes. At the latter, hot boys shake it in shower stalls set on the dance floor.

Laid-back bars and quaint hideaways nestle among the city's tony residential areas. West Ave, at the intersection of Kirby and Westheimer, is building a reputation as a place to see and be seen with hot spots like Cru Wine Bar. Rice Village - the walkable retail strip named for the university - fills nightly with a fresh-faced crowd along Morningside Drive, where a series of pubs (Little Woodrow's, The Volcano and The Ginger Man) offer nightly specials and a casual atmosphere.